Blood Cancer Research Foundation Changes Name

In response to blood cancer re-classifications by the World Health Organization, the MPD Foundation announces it is changing its name to Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) Research Foundation.

The MPD Foundation, a patient-led foundation dedicated to the discovery of treatments and a cure for three rare blood cancers (myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, and essential thrombocythemia) announces today a new name for the organization, which will now be known as the MPN Research Foundation.

This change of name is in response to a 2008 World Health Organization reclassification of the Myeloproliferative Disorders (MPDs), and reflects the consensus that these diseases are blood cancers, or ‘neoplasms’. The three classic MPDs are therefore now referred to as ‘MPNs’, or ‘myeloproliferative neoplasms’. The word “neoplasm” defines these diseases far more precisely than the word “disorder”. Neoplasia (Greek for “new growth”) means the abnormal proliferation of cells – in the case of the MPNs, one or more lines of blood cells.

The reclassification also added a handful of new blood diseases to the MPN category, such as chronic neutrophilic leukemia, chronic eosinophilic leukemia, hypereosinophilic syndrome and a general category labeled “MPNs, unclassifiable.”

The three MPNs that have always been the focus of the Foundation – polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and myelofibrosis (MF) – are still considered the “classic” Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms. The Foundation’s focus will remain on funding research to find effective treatments and ultimately a cure for all patients with these diseases.

Information on the MPN Research Foundation’s mission, current grants, and other programs can be found at http://www.mpnresearchfoundation.org.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) April 4, 2011
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/04/prweb5214514.htm